Submitted January 31, 2002
Accepted March 1, 2002
The DAU allele cluster of the RHD gene
Franz F Wagner, Birgit Ladewig, Katharina S Angert, Guido A Heymann, Nicole I Eicher, and Willy A Flegel*
Abteilung Transfusionmedizin, Universitatsklinikum Ulm and DRK Blutspendedienst Baden-Wurttemberg - Hessen, Institut Ulm, Ulm, Germany
Biotest AG, Dreieich, Germany
Abteilung Transfusionsmedizin, Universitatsklinikum Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Institut fur Transfusionsmedizin, Charite, Berlin, Germany
Blutspendedienst SRK Bern, Bern, Switzerland
* Corresponding author; email: willy.flegel{at}medizin.uni-ulm.de.
Variant D occurs frequently in Africans. However, considerably less RHD alleles have been described in this population compared to Europeans. We characterized five new RHD alleles, dubbed DAU-0 to DAU-4, that shared a T379M substitution and occurred in a cDe haplotype. DAU-1 to DAU-4 were detected in Africans with partial D phenotype. They harbored one and two additional missense mutations, respectively, dispersed throughout the RhD protein. An anti-D immunization was found in DAU-3. DAU-0 carrying T379M only was detected by screening European blood donors and expressed a normal D phenotype. Within the phylogeny of the RHD alleles, DAU formed an independent allele cluster, separate from the DIVa, weak D type 4 and Eurasian D clusters. The characterization of the RH phylogeny provided a framework for future studies on RH alleles. The identification of the DAU alleles increased the number of known partial D alleles in Africans considerably. DAU alleles may be a major cause of antigen D variability and anti-D immunization in patients of African descent.
